The Pitt County Schools Early College High School will open in the fall of 2015 with a promise of providing students with the opportunity to earn a high school diploma and two years of transferable college credit or an Associate's Degree. Located on the campus of Pitt Community College, the PCS Early College will provide a personalized, academically-energized environment at both the high school and college level for students who are first generation college bound and traditionally underrepresented in higher education, particularly in S.T.E.M. fields. PCS Early College will support students through what effectively becomes their first two years of college - typically the most vulnerable period for students from this target population. All for FREE!

Goals

Improve academic outcomes for all students.

Promote local business and industry by developing a workforce well prepared for the state's emerging economy through exposure to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (S.T.E.M.) courses and pathways.

Employ a project-based learning approach that actively engages students through lesson plans characterized by inquiry and collaborative work.

Create a sense of community and family that supports the social, emotional, physical, and intellectual needs of students.

Highlights

Instructional methods will include project-based as well as problem-based learning, performance-based assignments, and cooperative learning.

Expose students to relevant, real-world scenarios and empower them to make meaningful decisions about their own learning and future goals.

Job-shadowing and internships with local business and industry will strengthen students' understanding of S.T.E.M. career pathways and workforce readiness as it relates to curricular direction at Pitt Community College.

Support through AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) strategies with an emphasis on reinforcing student and organizational skills; seminar/tutorial sessions will be held.

July 12, 2011 - The State Budget Bill (House Bill 200) that was ratified on June 4, 2011, includes language that impacts school calendars for ALL school districts effective next school year.

The new legislation increases the minimum number of instructional days from 180 to 185 and the minimum number of instructional hours from 1,000 to 1,025. Left in place are the parameters that school for students must not start before August 25th and must not end after June 10th.

With some disclaimers and waiver opportunities to the State Board of Education included, the legislation essentially eliminates the 5 days that were previously added to the calendar for protected teacher workdays. Stricken from §115C-84.2 (School Calendar) as a result of this legislation is the following: “Five days, as designated by the local board, for use as teacher workdays, These days shall be protected to allow teachers to complete instructional and classroom administrative duties. The local school administrative unit shall not impose any additional tasks on these days. The local board shall schedule one of these days at the beginning of the school year and one at the end of each academic quarter.”

Many groups lobbied to postpone the effective date of this action until the 2012-13 school year, as most all school districts had already approved and distributed their 2011-12 school calendars, but that did not occur. However, the State Board of Education advised that it would be approving temporary waivers to this new requirement for districts that commit to using the five additional days to train teachers on the Common Core and new essential standards. (The State Board also advised it will not be as flexible in future years.)

Pitt County Schools submitted a waiver request that was approved by the State Superintendent of Public Instruction meeting the required guidelines by providing a detailed “Scope of Work” plan showing how the waived instructional days will be used for professional development on the essential standards and the Common Core. The new essential standards and Common Core standards are scheduled for classroom implementation in the 2012-13 school year.

The immediate impact of this action is that we must adjust our 2011-12 Calendar for Students and 10-Month Employees in several ways.

In accordance with the waiver approved from the State Superintendent, the following teacher workdays will be used for staff development on the essential standards and Common Core instruction.

October 28, January 18, March 2, March 23

December 19th will be added as an instructional day for students. This was previously an unscheduled day. Corresponding with the changes above, make-up days for inclement weather have been adjusted as well as the placement of system designated workdays and the last day for staff.

Click here to review the revised calendar which reflects these revisions. This will be reprinted and redistributed to parents and students. We recognize there may be some confusion as the school calendar was already set, printed, and previously distributed. We will do everything we can to communicate the correct dates and we will need your help as well. We also will need your help explaining that this late action was not a local decision but rather was directed by General Assembly legislation.

A recent survey given to 55+ Home Buyers shows what their 10 most important design features are. This can be important information to you when selling a home or when buying and thinking of selling down the road. Surprisingly a downstairs master bedroom isn't higher on the list! --In Pitt County and the Greenville Area, we as Realtors get asked more often about what floor the master bedroom is on than if the house comes with a washing machine.

90% - Washer/Dryer in the Home

84% - Storage Space

81% - Windows that Open Easily

73% - Garage Door Opener

73% - Easy-to-use Thermostat

71% - Master Bedroom on 1st Floor

67% - Private Patio

66% - Porch

65% - Attached Garage

64% - Bigger Bathrooms.

For more information about current real estate topics including selling your home or for assistance searching for real estate located in the Pitt County/Greenville, NC area, please contact The Pistol Tingen Team at (252) 321-6161.